


From Time Immemorial

by DramaticGarbage



Category: Sanders Sides (Web Series)
Genre: Blood, M/M, SOULMATE TIMERS, Soulmate AU, Vampire AU, Vampire Turning, all the stuff that comes with vampires
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-10-16
Updated: 2019-11-25
Packaged: 2020-12-17 18:21:42
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 13
Words: 19,774
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/21058889
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/DramaticGarbage/pseuds/DramaticGarbage
Summary: Logan’s timer seems to go on for far longer than the human lifespan... What can that mean?





	1. Logan

Logan didn’t spend too much time thinking about his soulmate. Everyone had one, that was just a fact of how the world worked, apparently. You were born with a clock on your forearm that counted down the time you had to wait until you met them. It was a fairly simple concept really, you just lived your life until the time rolled around, and when it finally did you knew you had found them. He didn’t pay his much mind though, he was a studious man who was much too focused on his studies to worry about love and soulmates. 

Most of his free time was spent learning, studying, trying to discover and unlock the secrets of the world around him. He was most fascinated by the stars, spending many a sleepless night staring into the heavens, yearning for understanding. He wasn’t sure he’d live long enough to learn all he desired to know… But he vowed to learn all he could. He craved knowledge.

He didn’t know many people who shared his passions, it seemed everyone he knew was obsessed with finding their soulmate and procreating. Although, he supposed that made enough sense. The average lifespan wasn’t very long and if they didn’t continue to populate, their species wouldn’t go on. Not that he had enough faith in his fellow man to believe that they thought about it in such a way as he did… But such was his life as a scholar in the early 1200’s.

One thing he didn’t understand, and perhaps it was why he was so decidedly uninterested in the topic, was his own soulmate timer. He, like everyone else he had ever met, had a standard candle clock printed upon his arm since birth. The candle was lit with a small flickering flame that he could just barely feel warmth emanating from, even though it was nothing more than an image on his skin. The warmth calmed him at times, but for the most part his candle timer was nothing but a source of further questions. He had seen many people who found their soulmate with completely melted candles, or those who were expecting to find them any day with flames that were beginning to flicker out. His own, however, even though it burned just as brightly as any other he had seen, had barely melted down at all.

Based on his calculations of how far it had melted vs how old he was now, at this rate it wouldn’t melt down to the bottom for at least another 200, maybe 250, years. How was that possible? The human lifespan was no where near that long. Maybe this was the universe’s way of telling him he had no soulmate. Maybe… He really wasn’t sure. So he simply chose not to dwell. He didn’t expect that quandary to have a pleasant answer, and his time was much better spent on more interesting questions. 

It wasn’t until one night, alone on his roof and staring up at the night sky, that he came a step closer to understanding the mystery of his clock. 

Logan was at peace, laying and pondering the secrets of the cosmos, as he liked to do. He let his eyes close, enjoying the tranquil feeling of calm that had enveloped him. 

He must have dozed off, because the next thing he knew he was awoken with a horrible start, a searing hot pain in his neck causing his eyes to widen in shock before he let out a garbled yell of pain. In his sleep-induced fog he could barely make out what was happening besides the horrendous pain he felt. It felt like… _Something was biting him? On the neck? Some kind of wild animal? How did a wild animal make it onto his roof? Was that really what he was trying to figure out right now?_

He started to convulse, suddenly getting the impression that he was losing a lot of blood. His hands flailed toward the source of the pain, making contact with something. Logic dictated that it had to be whatever was still clamped onto his neck.

His vision went blurry, Logan realizing he would probably bleed out long before he had any chance of figuring out what on Earth had happened to him. Just as his eyes began to flutter closed for what he believed would be the last time, whatever it was detached and he caught a glimpse of a human face… With glowing red eyes.

The last thing he realized before the darkness overtook him completely, was that whatever the thing was had bitten him once more… But this time, he only felt cold.

Logan awoke sometime later, feeling absolutely terrible. He was nauseous, his head splitting, all of his muscles aching, and the taste in his mouth was disgustingly coppery and metallic. He’d fallen asleep on his roof accidentally before, but he had never been this worse for the wear in the past. He realized what he needed to do was get off the roof. The sun was starting to come up and even the soft light of the impending sunrise was stinging his eyes something awful. He surmised it was due to the pain in his head and that going inside and laying down would be beneficial. 

He made his way back into his home, drawing the windows shut and already feeling slight relief just from being out of the light of the dawn. The attack was fresh in his mind, but at the same time it was as though he was trying to convince himself it hadn’t actually happened. It didn’t make logical sense, nothing like what he saw or experienced should have been possible. 

Logan moved over to his mirror, a polished bronze disc hung on his wall. They’d been selling new glass mirrors in town as of late, but his worked just fine and he didn’t see why he needed to bother with one of those. Looking at his reflection, he couldn’t help but notice two puncture marks on his neck. …So there was no denying that that really did happen. 

Beyond that he also noted that he looked extremely sick, his skin was pallid and his eyes looked huge and… Strangely dark. He probably just caught something after falling asleep out in the cold again. That made sense, and honestly nothing else did. Maybe he was just having an exceptionally terrible nightmare. Logan made his way to his bed, laying down and pulling his blanket up over his head as he tried to get some sleep, hoping to wake up and find that he’d imagined all of this. 

But sleep never came. He laid still for what felt like hours, but he never came any closer to actually resting. His entire body ached, his head was still splitting in pain. Eventually he got up from his bed to see if eating something would help, but even just looking at what he had available made him nauseous. 

Logan found himself sitting at his desk with a journal, still suffering, but all he could think to do was note down what he was experiencing.

One Day Since Incident - Muscles and head ache, cannot sleep, food seems completely revolting. 

Two Days Since Incident - Still in pain, still cannot sleep or eat. Body temperature seems to be dropping, but no amount of blankets seem to help. 

Five Days Since Incident - The pain has finally subsided and I am able to focus, but I still have been unable to sleep or eat. I do not feel tired, but I am finally feeling the effects of not eating. Despite this, none of the food I have on hand is even slightly tempting. Need to find something I can eat. 

Six Days Since Incident - Attempted to go out to the market today, the moment I stepped into the sunlight, I recoiled in pain. It seems I can no longer travel freely during the day. Painful experimentation has lead to single helpful discovery, thick fabric can lessen the burning pain to moderate yet tolerable discomfort.

Eight Days Since Incident - Still have not eaten or slept since incident, and still feel no urge to sleep whatsoever. But I am becoming ravenously hungry, and I noticed today that my eyes have become a deep black color. I have to wonder if the creature that attacked me did so for sustenance. Further experimentation required. 

Nine Days Since Incident - Under cover of night, I snuck into a nearby farm. I have discovered that blood is the only thing that seems to sustain me. Despite feeling satiated, there is no denying that I don’t feel as though I’m as satisfied as I should be. I hypothesize that a human or something much more similar to one than a sheep is what I actually desire. 

Twelve Days Since Incident - Hypothesis from Day 9 - Confirmed. Satisfied. Remorseful. 

Seventeen DSI - Accidentally crushed a glass vial in my hand today, further strength testing required.

20 DSI - Was able to throw a moderately sized stone far enough to leave my sight, strength greatly increased. 

47 DSI - Hypothesis from Day 29 - Confirmed. In order to prevent excessive hunger, feeding regularly is crucial. Approximately every 3 to 5 days seems sufficient. 

84 DSI - I believe I can say without hesitation that I know how much blood can be taken without incident. 

93 DSI - It has occurred to me today that my body no longer seems to breathe autonomically. Hypothesis - I no longer breathe. 

94 DSI - Hypothesis from Day 93 - Confirmed. I submerged myself in a nearby lake and found that I was able to stay beneath the water as long as I desired. 

114 DSI - I discarded several superfluous items from my home today. I found several things I did not realize I had, including a five pound bag of rice in a high cabinet. 

(Days 115 - 116 DSI are the only days thus far that have no entry) 

117 DSI - The bag of rice fell from the cabinet and spilled completely. There were 263,479 grains. I disposed of them to avoid this happening again. 

226 DSI - There are rumors about monsters and attacks moving through the village. I’m beginning to wonder if there are others who are afflicted as I am.

1 Year 14 Days SI - I’m not worried about the rumors spreading far enough to include me, I’ve always been a recluse and a scholar. But I will continue to keep an ear out for who is currently being implicated… And what happens to them. 

1Y 96D SI - There’s a new term circulating around town, whispered at night with fear. Is that what I am? 

1Y 119D SI - It’s true. They are talking about those like me. They call us a term that strikes fear amongst all of them. I suppose I am one to be feared. I am a vampire. 

10Y 294D SI - I realized today that I have not aged at all since the incident. I look exactly the same despite a decade having past. Am I immortal? 

18Y 140D SI - I discovered an abandoned castle deep in the forest. It’s extravagant for my taste, but I need to move before it becomes noticeable when I do venture out that I have not aged. I will be transferring only my essentials over to this new residence, including my journals. 

21Y 6D SI - Renovations to my castle are fully complete, I intend to live here for the foreseeable future. In solitude.

86Y 27D SI - I now only need to feed approximately once a month to sustain myself without feeling weakness or withdrawal. It is a very welcome discovery. 

117Y 47D SI - My soulmate candle clock has burned down approximately halfway, I hadn’t considered that this was something I was still apparently waiting upon. I do not know how that will play out.

258Y 52D SI - The fire has begun to flicker as though it is close to death. I feel as though it will go out any day. But who could poss- 

“What are you doing in my library?” A stern voice rang out from the darkness, causing Patton to nearly drop the handwritten book he’d been thumbing through. He spun around, looking for the source.

It was only a moment before a figure had appeared next to him, Patton having to look up slightly to meet bright red eyes. But just as he did so, he felt the clock on his arm go still. Both he and the figure looked down at their own arms, Patton seeing that the sand in the hourglass printed on his forearm had finally emptied into the bottom half, just as Logan’s flame died out.


	2. Patton - The Sun

Patton couldn’t stop himself from launching himself at the strange man, no matter how frightening and otherworldly he seemed. He just wrapped his arms around his soulmate’s neck and held him tightly. Thankfully the man caught him, despite being obviously surprised and confused. 

It took a moment for him to notice, but it became apparent that his soulmate was very cold. Inhumanly cold. He didn’t let go of him, he held onto him and continued his embrace, but it was… Odd.

Logan was having the exact opposite experience. He couldn’t recall the last time he’d felt so warm. This man, the one who’d managed to sneak into his library and peruse his journals, was hugging him so tightly, so warmly, so tenderly… Even when he’d been alive, Logan had never experienced anything like this. 

Once the smaller man pulled away, he looked up at the darkly-dressed man before him, taking in his sharp, supernatural features. It was clear that he was either choosing not to comment upon them or he simply hadn’t noticed them, as he was smiling at him as though nothing were out of the ordinary. 

Logan just didn’t know what to make of him, no one had ever smiled at him so brightly. Not just over the last couple centuries, but even before. There was just something about.. 

“Hi! My name is Patton! I’m so excited to meet you! What’s your name?” 

“…Logan.” 

“Well hello, Logan! Do you live here? This is a really fancy castle, but it’s also very pretty! I was just out.. Oh! You asked me what I’m doing! Ok, so what happened was, there was this rabbit and..” 

The vampire simply blinked his red eyes in confusion, not at all having expected that not only was this human not afraid of him, he was apparently comfortable enough to just start telling him about his entire day up to that point. 

The story went that Patton liked to go to the edge of the forest and forage for berries, but today there was a friendly little rabbit there when he had arrived with his berry basket. A basket that apparently had a blue ribbon on it, and that his mother had made for him three summers ago, which was all very sweet, even if it seemed to be a wholly unnecessary anecdote. Anyway, the rabbit bounced around his feet a few times before darting off into the woods, which caused Patton to run after it. For some reason. That seemed like a huge leap in logic to Logan, but he was already getting the sense that his soulmate was a bit of an odd one. 

Patton ended up traveling far enough into the woods to find that he had gotten completely lost, and just ended up choosing a direction and continuing to walk. He ended up stumbling upon Logan’s castle and decided to see if anyone was inside who might assist him, and then had apparently climbed over an outer wall with the help of a tree.. And now here he was. He’d gotten distracted by the grand library on his walk down a corridor, and became very interested in the wall that was populated by leather-bound journals. 

He’d noticed upon entry that as the journals went from left to right and then down the lower shelves, they appeared to be newer and newer. The final book seemed as though it was freshly made, the leather still shiny, while the very first one was nothing more than bound together pieces of ancient looking parchment, the pages yellowed and worn by time. His apparently boundless curiosity had led him to grab the final book on the shelf and thumb through it, which was when Logan found him.

At some point during the very long and overly detailed explanation, Logan had led Patton over to the sitting area in the library, them both sitting down on a couch so the vampire could continue to watch this man speak at him. 

The human did actually stop talking once his story had made it all the way to the present, and to this all Logan could really say in response was, “…Well, alright then.” 

Patton let out an embarrassed little giggle, one that Logan was not prepared to admit was very cute. “Sorry! I know I talk a lot, I’ve been told that before…” 

“It’s quite alright… I just wasn’t expecting it.” Logan shook his head and raised a hand to indicate he needn’t apologize. 

This, of course, just had Patton smiling that wide, genuine smile of his. “Alright! Well… Soulmates! I was so excited to find out that we’re..” Patton glanced down at his arm, the sight of his hourglass causing him to trail off. Logan raised an eyebrow and reached down to push up his heavy coat sleeve, seeing that he was facing the some conundrum that Patton was. 

Both of their timers had reset. Patton was first to glance back up. “I don’t understand, what does…. Ooo, I’ve never seen a timer like that before! That’s so cool!” He scooted over closer to Logan, looking down at the candle clock upon his arm. 

Logan had to look over to see what Patton meant, noticing that his timer was completely different. “…Oh. That is rather fascinating.” He said quietly, watching until he was actually able to see a single grain of sand fall from the top half to the bottom. 

“…Are you from somewhere far away? Does everyone have timers like this where you are from?” Patton asked, looking back up to Logan. 

He took a moment to consider how to answer that. “…In a manner of speaking, I suppose the answer is yes. I assume that everyone you know has an hourglass timer as well?”

“Uh-huh! Everyone I’ve ever seen at least. ….It’s weird though.. It used to move so quickly before. But now..” He went back to studying his own arm. “…It’s barely moving at all. And.. I don’t know why it’s moving again anyway, I mean… We found each other. Shouldn’t they… Stop?” 

Suddenly Logan had a realization, eyes glued down to both of their arms. The color would have drained from his face if he’d had any kind of color to begin with. “…I’ll have to look into it… But perhaps, we have another soulmate.” He said quietly, leaving out the bit about how long he’d already been waiting for Patton… Human Patton. …That would be a bridge he’d wait to burn when they arrived to it. 

—

As much as Patton wanted to spend more time with Logan, he found that the strange man he had grown so attached to had rules he adhered to very strictly, which could make things rather difficult. But Patton was nothing if not up to the challenge. 

He’d asked if he wanted to come with him into town, but Logan didn’t go out during the day. He’d offered to bring him back food at the end of the day, but Logan ate a very specific diet. 

But that didn’t stop him from trying. 

He’d asked if Logan wanted to meet him at the edge of town at sundown, to which he agreed. He’d asked if he’d mind if he ate his dinner with him even if Logan wasn’t going to eat, which he did not. 

So it became something of a ritual. Logan would come around once the sun was down, meeting his soulmate so they could take walks together. They’d walk around the edge of town, or through the woods, just enjoying spending time with the other. Patton would tell him all about his days, what he did, things he saw, people he talked to… His friends, his family, people he cared for. 

Logan knew that he was doomed to never really be amongst people. To never get too close to humans. It was something he’d come to accept, it hadn’t effected him all that much, he’d always been a recluse. But Patton… He didn’t know if he could really go through with dooming Patton in the same way. 

It had been over two centuries since Logan had laid eyes upon the sun, and he had found he did miss it on occasion, but he’d realized over the last several months that he had never experienced anything as warming as the sight of Patton’s smile. Or as comforting as it was to simply have him in his presence, let alone in his arms. It occurred to him that as long as he had this man in his life, he’d never miss it again. He now had something much better. Patton was more than the sun ever could be. 

…But was it right to keep the sun all to himself? To doom him to solitude? …It certainly didn’t seem so. 


	3. Compromise

Patton wasn’t stupid. Sure, he wasn’t a natural genius like Logan, and he’d admittedly have made a fairly poor scholar. But he was intuitive, he paid attention to people. He was perceptive. Observant. Especially when it was with someone who he cared about. 

He knew the flower seller’s favorite pastry, sometimes he’d snag an extra if he was going to walk that way through town. He knew the librarian was rather forgetful, he’d normally glance in on his way past to make sure he’d remembered to open his doors for the day. He even knew that the little girl who spent her days in the market was secretly caring for a kitten she’d found, and he’d occasionally ‘accidentally’ drop some extra fish near her on his way back from the meat stall. 

It was because of this that he’d started to notice a few strange things about his soulmate. Patton had fallen absolutely head over heels for the enigmatic man who lived alone in a castle. And while he’d initially ignored the red eyes and the cold skin… Things were starting to get too strange to just write off as being coincidental. 

One night on their walk they found a large stream, Logan immediately flinching back and recommending they continue in a different direction. Patton knew he had a special diet, but he’d never once seen Logan eat anything at all in the months they’d known each other. His red eyes… They seemed to slowly dull closer to black as the days went on, then one day they’d suddenly be bright - nearly glowing red once again, and the cycle would repeat. 

The nail in the coffin, so to speak, was when traveling one night through a rather dense thicket, Patton received a fairly sizable gash on his leg. While Logan was able to assist him back to the castle to dress the wound with a cloth bandage… It wasn’t lost on Patton how transfixed on the injury those red eyes were, momentarily watching the blood that had escaped. 

But… That was crazy, wasn’t it? That wasn’t a real thing. It couldn’t be. 

Still, one night Patton found himself alone in Logan’s home. The resident, his eyes dark, had explained that a bit of poor timing meant he needed to run out for a quick errand, but he’d return quickly. His soulmate had offered to accompany him, but Logan was quick to assure him it would be a fast and relatively boring trip, it would be better for Patton to stay in the castle. 

So of course, the curious man found himself in the grand library, standing before the wall of journals. There had to be something here. Patton wanted to go for the very first one on the shelf, but the delicate nature of the somewhat decaying pages caused him to go for the second, the very first actually bound journal, instead. 

He carefully pulled it down, dusting off the cover carefully and opening it to the first page. There in Logan’s handwriting was written “1218 - One Year Since Incident.” He continued, opening to a random page and beginning to skim. 

1Y 110D SI - The evidence is mounting that I am not alone in this, but I have yet to encounter any others. But seeing as I have not committed any of the crimes listed on the warning posters in town, there is no other explanation. 

1Y 115D SI - I believe any suspected others have fled the area, the townspeople were growing too wary. They still worry, but I believe the threat has passed. …With the exception of myself. 

1Y 118D SI - I heard that term again.. Further evidence required to determine if it truly meant to describe me and the, apparent, others.

1Y 119D SI - It’s true. They are talking about those like me. They call us a term that strikes fear amongst all of them. I suppose I am one to be feared. I am a v-

“…Patton?” Came Logan’s voice, jolting the human’s eyes from the journal clutched in his hands. 

Logan watched him for a beat longer, noticing the book he gripped so tightly and letting his bright red eyes sweep over the bookcase. Journal 2 - Year 1218 was missing, based on where the gap was. He knew that year quite well. Just as he knew all of them. His gaze settled back on his soulmate’s face, only having to look over his expression for a brief moment. “…I see you have discovered my affliction.” 

Patton looked back at his soulmate for a moment before closing the book he held. “…Is it.. Are you really… For real?” He asked, watching Logan still looking at him. 

“…Yes, Patton. It’s true. I.. I’m a vampire.” He admitted, waiting to see what it was Patton was going to do. 

He was still for a long moment, as if he was justifying the information. But then, the last thing Logan would have guessed, despite how well he’d been getting to know this man, happened. Patton smiled from ear to ear, an unexpected excitement sparkling in his eyes. “That’s so cool! Can you turn into a bat? Oh oh! Have you ever met a unicorn? Are they real too?!” 

Logan blinked, completely thrown off. “…Not to my knowledge, I’ve never attem- Wait. You aren’t.. You aren’t afraid of me? Of what I am and of what I can do?” 

It was Patton’s turn to look surprised. He turned and slid the book back into it’s spot before walking over to his soulmate and taking his hands. “Logan, of course I’m not. I know you’d never hurt me. …I’m also pretty sure you aren’t even hurting anyone else, no one I know in the village has gotten hurt or sick.. You’re still.. You, Logan. My soulmate. You’re a good person.” He smiled, giving his cold hands a soft squeeze as pale fingers curled back around his. 

Patton’s logic was definitely sound.. Even if he was slightly more confident in Logan’s innocence than he necessarily should have been.. He did have one thing right. “…I would never hurt you, Patton. You’re everything to me. I.. I waited so long to meet you, I had no idea how amazing you would end up being. How.. You’d accept me.” 

It was then that he sailed back into Logan’s arms, giving him one of his signature warm, secure hugs. “I love you, Logan.” 

“…I love you too, Patton.” 

—

While Patton was definitely smarter than he let on, it did take longer than Logan expected for him to start asking him the question he was dreading. And it was actually a decent percent his own fault. It started off innocently enough. 

“…Logan, do you think it’s weird how slow my hourglass is moving?” Patton asked one evening, the two of them sitting together.

Logan didn’t look up from his book. “No, I don’t believe it to be weird. It simply is moving at the rate it must to pass the adequate amount of time.” 

“But it’s going soooo slow.. How long do you think it’ll take?” He slumped a bit further against Logan.

“Based on the number of grains of sand in your hourglass and how many have fallen since it reset, I’d estimate approximately 400 years, give or take a few decades.” He rattled off, still hardly paying attention.

“….What?” That had gotten his attention, Patton sitting up to look at him. 

Logan finally turned to see him, putting the book down. “…I counted them, and simple calculation indicates..” 

“Over 400 years?! But I’ll never…” And that was when that unfortunate light bulb went off. “….You have to turn me.” 

There it was. What Logan had been dreading. “…Patton..” 

“Logan, if you don’t I’ll never meet them! And you’ll be all alone for all that time.. You have to. I.. I need you to.” Patton explained, taking Logan’s hand in both of his own.

“…Patton, you don’t understand. You.. You don’t want to be this. It’s.. Not a life you want to live. It’s… Hardly a life at all.” Logan said weakly, looking back at him. 

“But… We’re soulmates, Logan. I.. As much as I don’t want to lose you, I don’t want to leave you alone again. I.. I can’t leave you.” 

“You’d be choosing me over everyone else. You wouldn’t be able to be with all of them anymore. Your friends and… Everyone in the village. You’d lose everyone. I just.. I can’t do that to you.” Logan did his best to stay strong, but he had to admit… He did absolutely hate the idea of being without Patton now that he had had him. 

“Logan.. You’re the one that I want. You’re my soulmate. I just.. I can’t live without you.” He pleaded, gripping more tightly. 

“…You can’t live with me either. This.. It isn’t a life.” 

“A life without my soulmate would be even less of one. Especially now that I know what it’s like to have you.” 

“…..Not right now, Patton. We’ll.. We’ll talk more about this later.” Logan said, softly pulling his hand from Patton’s grip. He just.. Needed to be alone with his thoughts for a while. 

Of course, it became a topic that came up fairly frequently. Patton didn’t bring it up everyday.. But he wanted to. It came up multiple times a week, Patton always trying to explain to him that it needed to be done, that it was the only way. 

Logan did everything he could to explain it. The pain he’d go through, the adjusting, the solitude, the way that literally everything would change for him.. But Patton held fast. And to Logan’s surprise, he found that his soulmate’s arguments only grew more and more sound… More and more convincing as the time went by… Until one day he finally couldn’t argue anymore.

“…Logan, please. I absolutely can’t bear to do that to you.” Patton pleaded for the umpteenth time.

Logan sighed, a fairly dramatic action seeing as he didn’t need to breath. “I can’t just rip you away from your life, Patton. You’re so important to everyone. Absolutely everyone who’s met you completely adores you.” 

He was quiet for a long moment, trying to come up with something. After a few moments, he began to answer, slowly. “…What if.. What if you don’t rip me away? What if… We stay here and do this for a while longer? Just like we have been. I’ll do everything I want to do, spend the time with everyone… But then I’ll tell them I’m moving away.” 

“Patton… I still can’t ju-” The vampire began to protest, but Patton reached up and placed his fingers softly on Logan’s lips. 

“…You said it’s my life, Logan. And… This is what I want to do with it. But only when I’m ready, and not a moment sooner.” He sounded so sure, so absolutely positive. And his soulmate was so tired… And above all, he didn’t want to lose him.

Logan stared back at him for a few long moments, Patton not pulling his hand away until the vampire’s expression finally softened, and then his voice came just as softly. “…Are you sure?” 

“Absolutely.” He nodded.

“….alright. But take your time, ok?” Logan added, trying to ensure he was still somewhat in control of the situation. 

“I promise.” He pushed up on his toes, silencing his soulmate again, but this time with his lips.

Logan expected Patton to come to him in a week. But that week passed. Then a month. Several months. A full year. It ended up being a full four years before Patton came to Logan about it again.

“…I’m planning on telling everyone that I’m leaving at the end of the month. Is that… Going to be good for you?” Patton asked, hoping that Logan was still going to do as he’d agreed. 

He brought in a breath, looking over him for a long moment before giving him a small smile. “…It’s your life, Patton. If it’s good for you then.. It’s good for me.” 

The rest of that month somehow dragged on agonizingly slowly while seeming lightning fast at the same time. But either way, it wasn’t actually all that long before Logan was helping move in the last of the things Patton was bringing to the castle. 

He’d lived there full time for a few days before turning to Logan one night as the sun set. “…Tonight?” 

“…Just one more walk.” Logan held out a hand, the two of them taking a long stroll through the night, enjoying the way things had always been. Sure, things weren’t going to completely change, but it felt nice to have more night in their version of normalcy. 

They returned to the castle, Patton giving Logan another kiss before pulling away and letting out a long breath. “…Ready?” 

“If you are. Just… I’m very sorry. This is.. It’s not going to be pleasant.” Logan warned, looking at him apologetically. 

“That’s okay, love. It’s going to be worth it. I’m ready.” Patton gave him a determined nod. 

Logan simply nodded, pulling Patton securely into his arms and leaning down to get to his neck, softly kissing the spot first and whispering “…I love you, Patton” before he finally bared his fangs and bit down.


	4. New Life

1476

One Day Since Patton’s Incident - He’s not taking it well, he’s clearly experiencing a lot of pain… This was to be expected but that doesn’t make it any easier. I’ll be dedicating as much time as possible to ensuring he is as comfortable as can be.

Two Days Since Patton’s Incident - I’ve made sure he has everything he could need, he’s in bed with blankets and I’ve lit the fireplace. I recall being extremely cold before adjusting to the change, so hopefully this helps him stay more comfortable. …Thus far all he’s requested is company, so I’ve not left his side unless exceptionally necessary.

3 Days Since’s Patton’s <strike>Incident </strike>_New Life_ \- _Logan has been taking very good care of me, I have a headache and sore throat, but it’s not that bad anymore! Things are getting better by the day! I can’t wait until I’m feeling well enough to go back to doing the things I love to do! ~ P _

He remains optimistic as always.

4 Days Since Patton’s <strike>Incident </strike>_New Life_ \- He recovered more quickly than I anticipated, for which I’m very grateful. I’m not sure what the reason could be, but I’m not overly concerned with why. 

_It’s because I had someone so wonderful taking care of me! ~ P _

…I wouldn’t say that’s necessarily the reason. 

5 Days Since Patton’s <strike>Incident </strike>_New Life_ \- Today we went out for a walk, it was rather nice to get back to our regular routine. - L 

_I’m just going to keep crossing it out, love! But the walk was so nice! It was my first time out of the house since my “incident,” as Logan likes to call it. Everything was so much more wonderful than before! The smells and the sounds… It was amazing! ~ P _

8 DSPNL - Patton has discovered that my preference for all black clothing is somewhat overly cautious. He has found that as long as the fabric isn’t overly thin, any color can protect our skin from the dangers of the sunlight. - L

_I just like wearing colors! I mostly was lucky that it worked! ~ P_

…Perhaps overly cautious is not a bad thing. - L

15 DSPNL - Patton has been adjusting to his new diet, I can tell he isn’t a very big fan of what we must do. But I’ve assured him that he will need to do so far less often as time goes on. - L

(Patton has not added a comment, instead drawing animals all over the page) 

29 DSPNL - It’s not difficult to see that Patton misses being amongst people. I’m going to work on a solution. - L

_Logan… ~ P_

1 Month 4 Days SPNL - The main issue that I foresee is that the nearby village already knows Patton quite well. If he were to appear amongst them looking so different, whether or not he could blend in, it would be apparent that something has occurred. We’re going to go out and see what we can find as far as other communities he can visit goes. - L 

1M 18D SPNL - We found a larger developing city, but even more interestingly, we have discovered that I am far faster than Patton. I knew I could move extremely quickly, but apparently even to another of my kind I am fast enough to disappear from view entirely. I am curious to see if there are things that Patton excels at far more than I do. - L

_…I thought you were disappearing and reappearing, I didn’t know you were just running. But it sounds fun! Let’s see what I can do! ~ P_

1M 19D SPNL - It didn’t take much time at all to discover… Patton is exceptionally strong. He can easily do things that even I find difficult, and my own strength is definitely far beyond that of a human could ever achieve. - L 

_All the better for scooping Lo up and hugging him tight! ~ P_

…Yes. You are rather adept at that. - L

2M 12D SPNL - Patton has become rather skilled at blending in with humans and visiting the city from time to time. He can only go when his eyes are dark and passable for a human’s, which is a bit more dangerous as he is hungrier in those times, but his morality and love for humanity are far stronger than his inhuman instincts. I’m simply glad that he is able to enjoy himself. - L

_Aww! Lo! You’re so sweet! ~ P_

1Y 19D SPNL - The castle has become nearly unrecognizable on the inside since Patton has fully moved in, as he has decorated the rooms and created a much more pleasant home space. I hadn’t added much, if any, interior decor, finding it to be a superfluous addition. But I can not deny that this is a much more preferable home to live in… But that might have nothing to do with the decorum, now that I’m thinking more about it. - L

_Logaaaan! ~ P_ (Patton has surrounded the page with hearts) 

2Y 42D SPNL - Patton has a habit of collecting little things he finds here and there, small stones, shells, bits of wood, and similar items. He brought home a large glass vase today and is moving his collection into it. This has definitely brought back a very particular memory, and I’m going to speak with him as soon as I conclude this entry. - L

2Y 43D SPNL - I accidentally frightened Patton when I went to speak with him, forgetting my speed, and the vase tipped and broke upon the stone floor. Patton’s collection contains 2,378 items. - L

_I moved them back into the wooden box they had been in before… I would not like to have to do that again. ~ P _

The journal entries became more sparse as time went on, Logan finding they didn’t have as much that needed documenting now that he had been a vampire as long as he had been. That and the fact that just enjoying his time with Patton had become much more important to him. They’d still make updates when they found something worth noting, but it was predominantly just enjoying their time together. 

Their soulmate timers were moving even more slowly than Logan had experienced the first time, so they had centuries to just find hobbies and activities they enjoyed. They traveled, learned, observed.. Patton had tried picking up different things over the years. Painting wasn’t really his strong suit, but Logan proudly hung up his work anyway. He never really got the hang of sewing, but he enjoyed it and Logan would still always bring him fabrics so he could keep on doing it. 

One thing that did go well was the garden he’d been working on, and he’d begun bringing beautiful flowers inside to keep their home smelling fresh and to bring in a little brightness, seeing as they couldn’t have any kind of natural sunlight. …Logan would definitely disagree on what made their lives bright, but he kept the comment to himself. 

As far as Logan’s activities went, he tended to do a lot of reading. Placing himself quite near to or actually up against Patton while he worked on his hobbies. He loved to listen to him talk, or even just be in his presence, finding that while he had always preferred to be alone.. Being with Patton was somehow still like being alone, but doing it together. It was something he didn’t know how to explain, but he didn’t care to try to either.

One thing they did find they both really enjoyed was the rise of the theater as a form of entertainment. They started going when they could to see shows, preferring when they were able to go to later performances, but they did what they could. The only times they didn’t go together was when their feeding schedules somehow would deviate from the other’s, so one of them had bright red eyes while the other’s were dark enough to blend in amongst the humans. 

It was one such a night, late in the 1800s, that Logan had convinced Patton to go see a show without him. Logan insisted he didn’t want Patton to miss it, and that he’d make sure that they could go to the next one together. Patton didn’t like to leave his soulmate behind, but Logan was adamant that Patton should enjoy himself. 

So off he’d gone, into the bustling city. He wore a long light blue coat and pants tucked into boots - the two of them had been extremely thankful that gloves and hats were very in fashion at the time, it made venturing out much easier for them. Patton’s hat had a slightly wider brim than average, but not so much that it drew unwanted attention as he made his way into the theater and settled near the back.

Logan hadn’t mentioned it, and he was fairly surprised that Patton hadn’t either, but over the last few days, their soul timers had been on the verge of completing. Logan’s flame was flickering out and Patton’s sand was nearly fully emptied into the bottom half of his hourglass.

But Logan was slightly… Apprehensive. It wasn’t that he didn’t want to meet his second soulmate, he just wasn’t sure what would happen. Surely no one was as understanding and loving as Patton… How was he supposed to handle yet another person? Patton was the first one he’d ever really in. What if they didn’t like his and Patton’s shared affliction? What if they did something terrible when they discovered it? What if.. What if it went great… And he had to do the same thing he’d had to do to Patton?


	5. Roman - The Stars

Patton thoroughly enjoyed the show, he was glad that Logan convinced him to go. It wasn’t one that he hadn’t seen before, but he didn’t let little details like that prevent him from having a good time. Once it had ended, he decided to hang back a bit and be one of the last ones to leave, taking time to enjoy looking around the beautiful theater. It had been a marvel to watch how things like this had changed over the centuries, and if there was one thing that this era really knew, it was a gorgeous theater. 

Once the last few patrons were making their way out the door, he stood from his seat and began to wander back outside. Despite all of his enhanced senses, Patton could definitely still be a bit clumsy, generally because he was focused on something else very intently. And with his appreciation for the grand theater at the forefront of his thoughts, he somehow completely missed the very large box with legs that was walking in through the door that he was walking out of. He collided right into it, nearly pushing it completely over as he was much more solid than he should have been.

Thankfully with his quick reflexes he was able to catch the box, as the person who the legs belonged to stumbled backward to try and right themselves.

“Oh! I’m so sorry!” He said quickly, taking the box he was suddenly holding and placing it on the ground next to him so he could see who had been carrying it. 

“It’s quite alright! I didn’t see you over the…” A deep voice responded, the man standing back up straight and dusting himself off. But he trailed off as he caught Patton’s gaze, both of them feeling a tingling on their forearms as they met eyes. The other man brought in a deep breath, his expression immediately growing excited as he reached forward and took Patton’s gloved hands in his own. “It’s you!” 

Patton couldn’t help but beam in response, holding his hands back and letting out a little laugh. “And it’s you!” 

“It’s so amazing to meet you! I’ve been waiting for this my whole life and..” He trailed off, glancing down at his arm despite wearing long sleeves. He let go of Patton’s hands to push up his sleeve, the two of them glancing down to see that the man had a clock face just below his wrist, the hours marked by Roman Numerals. And it was ticking down once again. 

“…Why is it..” He said quietly to himself.

“I’m Patton, what’s your name?” He asked, pulling his attention back to him and away from the timer. 

He looked up, remembering the situation and willing to ignore the clock for a moment. “Oh! I’m sorry, I’m Roman! It’s amazing to meet you! I was just.. Really confused for a second. I’m not sure why it started back up again.” 

Patton just smiled. “I think I can help you with that, but for now…” He glanced down at the box. “What were you on your way to do?” 

Roman followed his gaze to the box. “Oh! Right. I’m a costumer and tailor. The theater hired me to do a few pieces, so I was just dropping them off.” 

“Oh that’s so cool! Here, how about we go drop this off and then we talk some more?” He asked, leaning back to scoop up the box into his arms again. Roman looking a little surprised with how easily Patton just lifted it back up, but he didn’t comment on it, going back to looking into his soulmate’s eyes. 

“I’d really like that.” He smiled, nodding off toward the stage and walking in that direction, Patton following him happily with the large box. 

The two of them handed off the work Roman had done and turned to leave, Roman taking Patton’s hand once again, smiling as his soulmate let out a little giggle and intertwined their fingers. 

It was immediately clear that they had a lot in common, they had an excitement and joy about them as they walked together, talking about anything that seemed to come up. It had been fairly late in the evening when they’d met in the first place, but by the time they realized how much time they’d spent walking and talking together, it was well into the night. 

Roman paused under a streetlamp, pushing up his sleeve once more to reveal his clock, it still counting down. Patton looked down to see it, he wasn’t completely familiar with the how to read the modern timepiece, but he could see that it was moving quickly. 

“…Do you think I have another soulmate?” Roman asked, looking back up at Patton. 

His soulmate only smiled, holding out his arms for him. “I know someone I think you might want to meet.” 

Roman was surprised, but he moved closer, putting his arms around Patton’s neck and hugging him tight. 

They stayed there for a long moment, hugging in the silence of the night, before Patton spoke up. His voice very soft. “…Do you trust me, Roman?” 

“…I do, Patton.” He nodded against him, holding him close. 

“Then… Hold on.” Patton shifted his arms, reaching to scoop his soulmate up into his arms with ease. He definitely seemed surprised, but he loosened his grip momentarily as he was shifted in his hold, before holding on tightly around Patton’s neck and shoulders. 

The next thing Roman knew, wind was rushing past them. Was Patton.. Running? How were they going this quickly? He wanted to look, but instead kept his face tucked into his soulmate’s neck with his eyes closed. He had noticed that Patton was cold when they’d hugged, but now with the warm skin of his face against Patton’s neck, it was even more apparent. 

Before he had much chance to think on it, they’d suddenly stopped. He finally opened his eyes and looked around, seeing they were inside once more. Patton let him down, letting him stand once again and get better look at their surroundings. They were in some kind of grand entrance hall, the space large and dimly lit. His eyes traveled curiously over it all, from the paintings and tapestries decoding the stone walls of the chamber they were in, to the long dark hallway that led off of it. 

He opened his mouth to ask Patton a question, there was certainly no shortage of them running through his mind right now, but a voice beat him to it.

“Who is this, Patton?” 

Roman’s gaze snapped back to the mouth of the hallway, looking for the source. He had just been looking in that direction, but there was suddenly a pair of eyes looking back at him. Glowing red eyes. 


	6. Waking Up

Roman wasn’t really sure what had just happened. …He was probably dreaming. It wouldn’t have been the first time he’d dreamt he’d met his soulmate. Though the super fast running and the scary red eyes were a new one… His eyes were closed, he was.. Laying down on something soft. 

He hadn’t stirred just yet, just laying there and adjusting to waking up before opening his eyes to the light. He stayed still, trying to remember having gone to bed… But that was when he heard the voices above him. 

“Is he okay?” 

“Yes, Patton. You can hear his heart beating, as well as see him breathing.” 

“…I didn’t mean to scare him.. I hope he’s not upset.” 

There was a soft sigh. “You didn’t scare him, I did. But you probably could have eased him into …Our situation a little more slowly.” 

“…Sorry, Lolo. I just got really excited about meeting him..” 

“I know, I’m not upset. …You know I can’t really get upset with you.” 

There was a soft giggle in response, Roman definitely remembering that adorable sound from the night before. “Isn’t he cute, Lo?”

“…He is rather attractive, yes. I am hoping we’ll be able to talk to him calmly, this is a lot for one to come to terms with. Don’t forget that humans don’t exactly… Believe we’re real.”

“I know.. Maybe we can still ease him into it? We can just.. Not mention it at first?” 

“…With you having run him here, and having seen my eyes, I sincerely doubt there’s much possibility of that.” 

“Oh.. That’s a good point. …Maybe he won’t remember?” 

Roman finally let out a groan, bringing up a hand to rub his head. “…No, I definitely remember.” He opened his eyes, seeing that Patton was leaning over the back of the couch that he was apparently laying on. He let his gaze move over to the other man, standing on the other side of him. 

Those were definitely the red eyes he saw, but at least now there was enough light for him to see the face they belonged to. …Maybe it was the shock talking, but in this new light those red eyes appeared more like cut rubies, rather than the predatory beacons from his memory, set lovingly in a face that seemed chiseled from the purest marble. The man had a face that could launch ships and inspire poetry, which it was surely doing to Roman now.

Logan watched this man’s expression go from hesitant to… He didn’t think he had the words to describe it accurately, but it was certainly making him aware that his face would have turned beet red if it had the ability to do so.

There was certainly an amount of tension trapped in their locked gaze, but thankfully enough, Patton had never been one to notice things of this nature. “Aw, Roman! I’m so glad you’re okay! Sorry about scaring you… I should have probably warned you before I brought you home to meet Logan.. Oh! Right! Roman, this is Logan! He’s our other soulmate! And Logan, this is Roman! I met him while I was leaving the theater!” Patton explained happily. 

Roman sat up, getting an even better look at his second soulmate and reaching to greet him by taking his hand. Of course when Logan reached to return the handshake, he found Roman pulling his hand to his lips to kiss his knuckles instead. The vampire’s eyes widened, not having expecting the gesture that had Patton giggling once again. 

“The pleasure is definitely mine.” Roman said with a smile, looking up at Logan as he pulled his hand away from his lips. 

Logan couldn’t recall ever being rendered speechless, simply looking back at this man and trying to find any kind of words come to mind. It took far longer than he would have liked, but eventually all he managed to utter was. “…I’m glad to see you are no longer frightened.”

“It was truly a mistake on my part, I don’t think I’ll be able to forgive myself for not waiting to see the rest of you before I so embarrassingly lost consciousness… Although I’m sure I would have fainted anyway, there is simply no preparing oneself for gazing upon your beauty for the first time.” 

Before Roman could even enjoy the shocked look on Logan’s face, he was suddenly looking at empty space in front of him, as though no one had been there to begin with. He stared just in front of him for a moment, trying to justify the fact that he was suddenly missing a soulmate to flirt with, but then turned to look at Patton with confusion. 

“…I don’t think he knew how to respond how pretty you talk. You’re probably going to need to give him a little bit to get used to it.” Patton said simply, moving to sit down on the couch. 

That wasn’t an unwelcome explanation, but it didn’t answer the question he had actually been asking. “…How did..” He began, gesturing to the space where Logan suddenly wasn’t. 

“Oh, Logan is very fast. Even faster than me.” Patton shrugged. 

“…Alright.” Roman nodded, he was really going to have to get used to this. But for now, he sat next to Patton and took his hand instead, smiling at the adorable man beside him. He may have only had soulmates for a few minutes, but he was definitely finding he enjoyed it immensely.

The two of them ended up sitting together on the couch in the library and talking for a while longer, it being a decent amount of time before Logan reappeared in the doorway. He was obviously fast, but he was also exceptionally quiet, as the two of them didn’t realize he had returned until he spoke up and surprised them both.

“Did your’s reset again?” 

Roman and Patton suddenly snapped their gazes to him, it taking a moment to register what he said. But once they did they both looked down, pushing up their sleeves to see that they had. The hands of Roman’s clock were once again ticking down, and a few grains of sand had fallen from the full top of Patton’s empty glass into the empty bottom. 

“Whoa.. I’ve never seen a timer like that before.” Roman commented, looking down at Patton’s arm and running his hand over the hourglass.

“I hypothesize that the timers are reminiscent of the time period one is born in.” Logan said calmly, suddenly before the two of them once again. 

“…What’s your’s like?” Roman asked, looking up at him from his seat. Logan moved to sit on the other side of him and push his sleeve up, showing his youngest soulmate the candle burning on his arm.

“Whoa…” He once again reached over, running his hand over the image printed there. 

Logan was just realizing he was going to have to get used to Roman apparently being able to fluster him with no effort at all, when Roman spoke up again. 

“So… What does this mean? My timer is moving so slow and.. Both of your’s seem to be too.” He looked between the two vampires, seeing if they had an answer. 

But they just looked at one another as it really set in what that meant for the two of them. …And what it would mean for Roman. 


	7. A Chance

The three of them sat quietly for a long moment, Logan and Patton trying to decide exactly how to explain this to Roman. He’d only just found out about them and he’d already fainted once... They didn’t exactly want to send him into shock again. But he was just looking between the two of them, waiting for an answer.

Logan eventually began the conversation, as gently as he could manage. “...I believe it is rather apparent that neither of us are... Human, exactly. Not anymore.” 

Roman slowly nodded. “...Yeah, I.. I could tell but.. It’s still kind of a crazy thing to get a real confirmation on.” 

“Sorry.. I probably should have eased you into it much more than I did.” Patton added, looking apologetic. 

“Oh, it’s alright. I.. I don’t know if there is really a way to go about this with all that much ease, Patton.” Roman said, taking his hand and giving it a slight squeeze. 

“Well.. Maybe not, but I still feel bad I made you faint. I did catch you by the way, so you didn’t hit your head or anything.” Patton very carefully gave his hand a squeeze back. 

Roman gave him a bit of a sad smile. “I probably would have anyway, it’s not your fault. But, uh.. So.. More about this.. Not human thing. What else is there that I should know?” He turned back to Logan. 

“There is a lot, honestly. But we can get into the full explanation another time. The important points are.. I was born nearly 700 years ago, and Patton closer to 450. We don’t age anymore.” Logan began, watching Roman’s reaction. 

“...So you’re.. You’re really actually..” 

“...Vampires.” Patton finished the statement for him, also watching him cautiously.

Roman took a moment to try and process, looking over them and then down at his hands as he considered everything he’d experienced with them so far. Patton so easily carrying him, how quickly Logan could move, the red eyes... “How much of the legends are really true? Do you really have unending strength and energy?” He asked, his voice surprisingly soft. 

“...I wouldn’t say unending. But we are far stronger than any human, yes. We don’t sleep or eat... Food, any longer. I’ve documented most of the changes that I’ve experienced over the centuries, I could give you much more comprehensive information over time.” Logan nodded, still curious about how his new soulmate was taking all of this. 

“...And you.. You can turn others into vampires as well, right? And... Grant them the ability to do the same things that you can do?” His voice was hopeful, looking at them both. 

This was what Logan had been dreading, he didn’t want to have to take someone from their life again.. He’d felt bad enough when Patton had had to live in solitude with only him for all that time. And he’d only been from a small village, it was nothing compared to the city that Roman hailed from. But of course, before Logan could begin to explain, Patton spoke up. 

“Yes, Logan did it for me. So I could live long enough to meet you.” Patton smiled, looking at him. 

Roman beamed in response, holding Patton’s hand with all he had. “And now... We have another soulmate to meet. You... You can turn me too, and then I can meet them and.. Be strong and live like you two do.” 

“...Roman.. It’s not a decision to be taken lightly. I understand that it seems... Preferable to a human life. But it’s not really a life.. Not in the same way. It was a very difficult decision to condemn Patton in this way..” 

“..Logan..” Patton very lightly scolded, but Logan continued. 

“And I don’t want to do that to you as well. It’s.. Not so simple. You could live a long full life, you can be happy as a human. It’s.. It’s just not that easy to be this way.” 

Roman looked back at Logan, watching his torn expression. “...Logan, you.. You don’t understand. This is the greatest thing that could ever happen to me. I.. Please, I need to be one of you. I..” He brought up a hand to wipe at his face. “...All I’ve ever dreamed of was meeting my soulmate. Of being able to be with them and be happy.” 

“You still can be, Roman. You can live a long life and we’ll be right there along with you. It’s..” 

“No, Logan. You don’t understand. I.. I didn’t know if I’d make it long enough to even meet you. I.. My health is very fragile. The doctors have told me I have a very weak constitution... It’s why I fainted when I saw you.” He turned to Patton. “It’s why I dropped that box of costumes when we ran into each other.. And I didn’t offer to carry it when you picked it up for me. I get tired easily and I get sick often.. I’ve always worried whenever I’ve gotten sick that it would be the last time.” He looked down at his hands, pulled back into his lap.

Patton and Logan could just about feel their hearts breaking, having had no idea that this was what Roman lived like. That their soulmate... Had it so rough. 

“...This is the best thing that could have happened to me. Not only meeting you both.. And having another soulmate to meet. But also.. Just having a chance to live and not be so worried about a strong breeze knocking me over. There are so many things I’ve wanted to do that I just can’t. That I.. Didn’t think I’d ever be able to do.” Roman added, looking up from his lap.

It was quiet for a long moment, them all thinking. Patton eventually reached and took Roman’s hands once again, looking at him softly. “...What kinds of things do you want to do?” 

Roman smiled, looking back at him. “...I always wanted to perform on stage, to do theater. To be able to be up there under the lights and give it all I have. It’s why I became a costumer, so some part of me could be up there. At least something I contributed. And..” 

Their youngest soulmate continued to go on, telling them about his dreams and wishes. Places he wanted to see and to travel to, things he wanted to experience. He ended up dozing off while he was talking, exhausting himself just from his grand storytelling, his upper body leaned back against Patton’s chest with his legs crossed over Logan’s lap. 

He’d spoken with such passion, such hope and joy... Patton and Logan looked at each other, they’d need to figure out a few specifics, but it was clear to the both of them that they couldn’t let this man’s spark die out. He deserved a chance. 


	8. The Adventure

From the next day on, Logan and Patton devoted whatever time Roman could give them to helping their youngest soulmate see and experience the things he’d always wanted. When he’d woken up, he’d been surprised that the two of them were still sitting there, letting him sleep completely without waking him or leaving him to go do anything else. 

The soft blush that spread across Roman’s cheeks when he realized his soulmates stayed and held him as he slept... It didn’t quite make Logan feel like they were even, but it definitely helped. And that blush only darkened when Patton and Logan shared what they’d been discussing while he slept. 

Condemning another soulmate to a life of immortality wasn't an easy choice to come to terms with, and it was clear Logan needed time. That didn't mean, however, that he and Patton weren't going to do everything they could to help Roman live his life to the fullest now. After helping their soulmate tie up some loose ends on jobs he needed to finish and moving over a few essentials to the castle, they began their quest. 

_ <strike>Bucket List</strike> _   
_ <strike>Dream Trip</strike>_   
_ <strike> Goals... Quest?</strike> _   
_<strike> Wish Excursion</strike> _   
_ Soulmate Adventure - Day 1: Today was a brilliant foray into what is possible now that I have these two wonderful soulmates in my life. They, literally and figuratively, continue to simply sweep me off my feet. Today was spent predominantly in Logan’s arms, wrapped in a blanket for warmth and to shield me from the wind that resulted from my soulmates’ great speed. But despite having a fair distance to cover, once they let me down to stretch my legs and gain my bearings, I found they had taken me all the way to one of the places I’ve longed to visit for many years now. Paris. We were able to view many sights, even the recently constructed Eiffel Tower, which I’d always wished to be able to see in person. It was truly a marvelous day, especially as Patton wanted me to partake in every Parisian delicacy he was able to procure. That was quite a delicious event, and I can’t wait to see what the next days will hold._

_Soulmate Adventure - Day 4: After multiple beautiful days reveling in the sights that Paris had to offer, at my exceptionally slow pace, they whisked me off to yet another gorgeous local. We sped to the mouth of a closed trail that led into a forest, neither of them caring much about simply hopping over the sign and beginning a rather arduous looking trek with me in tow. This time it was Patton who carried me, him seeming to pay no mind at all to the hike he and Logan were steadily conquering. They didn’t hurry, the three of us looking around at the beautiful nature scene around us as they walked along, listening to the tranquil sounds the outdoors gifted us with. I wasn’t sure where we were headed until I began to hear the sound of rushing water, and it was seemingly no time at all before the grand sight of an enormous waterfall suddenly came into view._

_I’d never seen anything so magnificent, the spray from the falling water creating an amazing display of rainbows dancing through the air before us. Patton insisted that I took a snack from the bag Logan carried, which I enjoyed whilst resting on the edge of the water, allowing my bare feet to dip in. Neither of my soulmates touched the water, but they stayed near to me, seeming to simply enjoy the happiness I was experiencing from it all. ...As well as making sure nothing happened to me._

_Soulmate Adventure - Day 8: I experienced the marvelous sight that was the ocean today, I never could have imagined how sheerly daunting it would be in size... It was as though there was nothing but grand sea as far as the eye could hope to witness. Patton and Logan asked if I could see an island off in the distance, but my vision is apparently no match for either of their’s. It makes me wonder if they truly need the glasses they both wear, or if they are simply a fashion accessory. I’ll do my best to remember to ask at some point._

_Soulmate Adventure - Day 13: I don’t know exactly where we are, but we visited an amazing festival tonight. The sights and sounds... The smells, the colors... It was all intoxicating in the best possible way. ...Although perhaps a bit overwhelming, Logan and Patton both seemed to be watching to be sure I didn’t overexert myself or try to do too much, giving me ample opportunities to take a break and sit for a while to regain my energy, or to pause for water or food. ...I know that the purpose of this trip is so I can experience these things as a human.. But I can’t help but feel apologetic that they can’t do as much as they’d probably like due to my limitations. I know neither of them would respond well to that particular anecdote, so it’ll stay here with me instead. _

_Soulmate Adventure - Day 16: We spent a day resting after the carnival, but today they surprised me by taking me to an absolutely stupendous opera house. It was truly like nothing I’d ever seen, the architecture was simply unparalleled. And the performance we saw was grand and dramatic... Truly a spectacle I’ll never forget. I had such a wonderful time, I don’t know that I’ll ever be able to thank these two wonderful men for doing all of this for me.. This is easily the best time of my life, and it’s only sweetened further by the addition of my soulmates at my side._

_Soulmate Adventure - Day 22: They took me to a music hall, the three of us able to sit together near the back and enjoy some gorgeous music. I held one hand of their’s each, sitting happily between them as my eyes closed and everything faded away besides the sounds of the orchestra and the feeling of their strong hands in my own. It was the first time in a long time that I’ve truly felt at peace, as though everything really could fade away and I would be nothing but content._

_Soulmate Adventure - Day 29: We went high up a mountain today, so I could experience the fresh falling snow, untainted by the world below. It was much colder than I anticipated, I could feel the chill deep in my bones despite how warmly Patton and Logan made sure I was dressed. But, alas, all the coats and blankets in the world could not shield someone such as I. I’m already quite aware I’ll be ill by tomorrow. _

_Soulmate Adventure - Day 30: They whisked me away back to their home, finding me sick with a dreadful cold this morning. I’m tucked in in their bed under every blanket they could find, and the fire place is roaring beside me. Perhaps I truly am just over dramatic.. Or something of a fatalist, but at the very least.. If this turns out to be my final entry, I have no regrets. I’ve never been as happy or as at peace as I have been over the course of the last month. I’ve done more since meeting my beloveds than I ever had in the years leading up to doing so, and for that I will be eternally grateful. _

Logan placed the journal down on the nightstand, looking over at Roman who’d fallen asleep due to his sickness. He’d had no idea he’d been journalling his experiences as they’d traveled about. But today he’d fallen asleep with the book open on his chest, and Logan had let his curiosity get the best of him.

If Patton was the sun in Logan’s sky, Roman was without question the stars that shone in his night. He’d never known anyone to be as much of a light amongst the darkness that surrounded him. Despite everything he went through, their beloved human never complained to them once, keeping their spirits high as they went about their trip. He had a spark about him that just seemed to make everything in his presence that much more beautiful. 

And Logan would be damned if he gave that up. He’d taken time for granted, after the amount he’d been able to spend with Patton.. He hadn’t considered that Roman couldn’t so easily throw caution to the wind and wait as long as he wished. 

He went to Patton and asked him to keep Roman company, and stated that’d be returning shortly. He needed to make a quick stop into town, but he’d be back as soon as he was able. Patton was unsure what this meant, but he nodded and gave his soulmate a kiss before moving to the bedroom and joining their sleeping Roman on the bed, taking his hand and laying beside him without waking him. 

Time moved differently in that moment for Patton, with him focusing on nothing more than watching Roman rest, watching his chest rise and fall and feeling his heartbeat in his wrist. It wasn’t long at all before Logan returned, holding something in his hands, but Patton didn’t feel that way. 

Logan sat down on the edge of the bed, looking down at his sleeping soulmate. After taking a few last moments to steel his nerves, he very gently moved a hand to Roman’s shoulder, jostling him softly to wake him. 

“...Roman?” He said gently, watching as his beautiful eyes slowly fluttered open. 

“Hm?” He responded, looking up with tired eyes as he focused on Logan before him. 

“How are you feeling?” Logan asked, looking over him as Patton softly rubbed over Roman’s hand with his thumb. 

“...Not too bad.” Roman gave them a slightly forced smile. “Just tired and a bit cold, but nothing to worry about.” 

“...I hope you’ll be able to forgive me, but I found your journal and opened it to discover what it was.” He gestured to the nightstand.

Roman’s gaze followed until he laid eyes upon his simple leather bound book. “Ah, well... No harm done, my love. I have nothing to hide from either of you.” He spoke with his customary fanciful tone, but the exhaustion in his expression betrayed him. 

“Well.. Either way. I’ve mentioned it before, but once I became the way I am now, I began keeping a log to keep track of changes and events. Then Patton and I did the same once he’d joined me.” Logan explained. 

The sick man was a bit confused, but he nodded, wondering where Logan was going with this. 

Thankfully, the vampire continued. “...So I went into the city and acquired this for you.” He drew attention to what was in his hands, Roman looking down to see a gorgeous red leather book, it’s intricate cover and detailing very reminiscent of the man laying in the bed. 

He reached out and took it, running his finger tips over the cover before opening it and seeing blank pages. It took a moment for him to realize what it was Logan was really giving him. 

“...Is this for.. Me to..” Roman asked, his expression softly hopeful. 

Logan took the book and placed it atop the other on the nightstand, then taking his free hand. “...Are you ready?” 

Roman nodded, squeezing both of their hands. Logan gave him a smile, leaning down to give him a kiss on the lips before moving to his neck, opening his mouth wide and biting down.


	9. His Second Act

Roman’s Second Act - Day 1: I had a rather rough night, which was to be expected, but the sheer antici

I took Roman’s journal away because he’s supposed to BE RESTING. Writing is not RESTING. ~ P 

Roman’s Second Act - Day 2: I found my journal in the drawer! Today I am going to ac 

Roman’s journal has once again been confiscated. - L

Roman’s Second Act - Day 3: I keep telling them that if anyone knows how to function when they are not feeling well it would be m

I do not know how he keeps finding it. He can have it back tomorrow. - L

I’ll put it somewhere safe until tomorrow! ~ P

Roman’s Second Act - Day 4: I have finally been allowed my journal back! They don’t seem to understand that I’m essentially the King of functioning under less than optimal circumstances! But today they’ve finally let me out of the <strike>infernal confinement that I’ve been subjected to!</strike>* I was able to get up and take my first steps as a brand new man! The strength and power I feel in my extremities! It is as though I can do anything! I shall clutch this new opportunity tightly in my hands and never allow it to escape! I will carpe this diem! 

*bed ~ P

RSA - Day 6: I have made an interesting discovery today, I’m beginning to believe that there is more to our kind than I could have initially hypothesized. Now that there are three of us, it is much easier to compare and contrast differences in what we are all capable of. I initially believed that it was Patton who was exceptionally strong, even for one of our kind, but it has turned out that Roman is the one who is noticeably stronger than either of us. His resilience and overall ability are unprecedented. Neither he nor Patton can match my great speed, which I believe I have in place of their greater strength. So I have to assume that it is Patton who is of ‘normal’ strength and speed, while Roman and I are on either side of him on the spectrum. 

Patton’s skin tone is slightly warmer than either of our’s, and even after freshly feeding, his eyes do not glow as intensely red. If I was to presume that we each have some sort of ‘specialty’ now that we have all turned, I would say that while I am fast and Roman is strong, Patton is the most adept at blending in with humans. We can still manage to go along with him, or to go out on our own, but I firmly believe that Patton could live amongst the humans if he truly wished to. - L

I wouldn’t go though! I want to be with the two of you! ~ P

…Isn’t he just adorable? ~ Roman

You have no idea. He’s far too precious to process, even after all these years. - L

I shall be sure to cherish every moment that is to come, as Patton is my heart, simply and completely. ~ Roman 

You two! Oh my goodness! ~ P

As it turned out, Logan was far more supportive of Roman’s rampant flirting and courting when it was directed at Patton. This didn’t mean that the youngest of them calmed down even slightly, in fact it was quite the opposite. 

It didn’t take Roman long at all to adjust to his newfound vitality, with him especially excited when Logan and his adorable little experiments showed that Roman was stronger and more resilient than even his two soulmates. He was quick to start going on little adventures, exploring the woods around their castle and looking for interesting sights he wouldn’t have found otherwise. 

There were multiple times he’d rush back home and gather his soulmates, having them come with him to come see something amazing he’d found. A peaceful clearing, a huge flowering tree, interesting rock formations… But then it changed. The first time he came home and asked if the two of his soulmates would mind terribly if he borrowed only Logan for a bit, neither of them knew what could be happening. 

But Patton smiled and nodded, Logan curious as to what Roman had planned that was only for him. So off they went, Logan slowing himself down so he could follow along behind Roman. It wasn’t long before they reached a hilltop, a blanket already laid out. He sat down upon it and patted the space next to him, Logan joining him with some confusion. 

Roman only smiled, letting himself fall back and lay down. “…Tell me about the stars?” He asked softly, looking over at him. 

Logan’s eyes widened, him slowly laying back and looking up, feeling Roman intertwine their fingers together as he raised his other arm to point upward. “…Do you see that bright one there? Next to that cluster? It leads into a constellation that begins..” 

There they stayed, the younger ending up curled into his side and listening to all Logan had to say with rapt attention, the two only stopping when the sky lightened ever so slightly, signaling it was time to head back in. 

The next night he took Patton’s hand instead, taking him off to a beautiful spot he’d found, which ended up being a cliff side that jutted out over a lake. It had been raining that night, but that didn’t stop Roman from taking his soulmate’s hand and leading him in a dance right there, them moving to a tune only they could hear. It was no surprise that they ended up soaked completely through, but it didn’t bother them in the slightest. They stayed out as long as they could, laughing, dancing, and skipping stones far across the still water. 

That kicked off a slew of little dates, Roman whisking off one or both of them to some lovely place multiple times a week. He generally either spent his days out, acquiring fabrics or picking flowers, sometimes spotting little trinkets and baubles he would bring home for them, or he’d be in the room Logan gave him to use as his sewing room. He’d made all of them several custom outfits, keeping them current and in style to the best of his ability. Patton loved pastels and cream shades, while Logan preferred to wear almost entirely black, but Roman did eventually warm him up to dark shades of navy blue. 

As styles changed and became less grand and complex, Roman was torn on how to feel. He still preferred the ruffles and intricacies of his time period but he had to admit that as styles simplified, they became much easier to craft. It didn’t mean he didn’t still work on a few passion projects here and there, and he made it very clear he’d complain about the rise of denim in fashion until the end of time, but he did do his best to keep up with what was modern.

Of course, his other main hobby was thinking about their next soulmate. When he took his two boys on their dates, he wondered what his next soulmate might like and what special places he could take them. When he made new outfits and picked out fabrics he knew his soulmates would love, he’d wonder what colors his next soulmate would like and if they’d like what he could make for them. He spent a fair amount of time staring forlornly at his timer, watching the minutes tick away as it went down. It was soooo unfair he had to wait like this. It was actually more than unfair, it was the absolute height of injustice and atrocity. 

With all of the weird advancements and things around them changing, things that the humans seemed to think were so revolutionary and ground breaking… None of them were bringing him his next love any faster, so how good could they really be?

Logan and Patton would just raise an eyebrow and listen to him go on, thanking the stars that the countdown between Roman and their next soulmate was the shortest one they’d had so far. They had no idea how he would have dealt with the four hundred years they’d had to wait for him. 


	10. The Phantom

Thankfully, for Roman’s deeply poetic and exceptionally romantic soul, as well Logan and Patton’s overall mental well-being, they didn’t have nearly as long to wait. Up until this point, Logan and Patton, with their older timer styles, had had to estimate how much time was left before they’d meet a soulmate. But now that they had Roman’s much more exact clock, Logan was able to calculate with near certainty how long it would be until they would meet them. Well, until Roman would definitely meet them, but they all sincerely doubted there’d be much space between. 

Of course Roman wasn’t exactly happy when Logan worked out that it would be approximately 97 years, lamenting the amount of time they’d have to wait before they’d meet. Logan was quick to quirk an eyebrow and remind him that he’d waited 258 years to meet Patton, and then that the two of them waited another 414 to find him… Which didn’t exactly inspire patience, as much as it just meant Logan and Patton quickly found themselves in a tight hug from their strong soulmate, listening to him wax poetic about his extreme remorse for keeping them waiting as long he as he had. Despite them explaining this was literally not at all his fault… They still had a rather forceful reminder of how many words Roman could fill the air with, especially now that he had nearly limitless energy and didn’t require oxygen. 

But despite how slow it apparently felt to Roman, the years did pass. They passed with changing styles, countless dates and romantic outings, adventures, and laughs. The stylist in Roman might have suffered through the 60’s and 70’s, and as much as he wanted to love the bright colors of the 80s.. He was glad as they began to tone down a bit toward the end of the decade. 

Around that time, early one morning, he zipped back into their home, finding his soulmates instantly. Just from the look on his face, they knew they were about to get pulled into some adventure. He paused before he got into it, looking over their clothing choices for the day. The two of them couldn’t look more different in Roman’s eyes. Logan had been dressing the same since the 50’s, long sleeve shirt, tie, and suspenders with slacks and dress shoes. While Patton had fully embraced the preppy style of the 80s, with a sweater tied around his shoulders. Of course, Roman always seemed to be trying to bring back the 1800s when they were around the house.. But he was fashionable, it was fine. 

“…Roman? Did you have something you wanted to tell us?” Patton asked, him and Logan watching their boyfriend get distracted. 

“Huh? …Oh! Yes! I found something we absolutely have to go see tonight!” Roman said excitedly, clapping his hands together. 

“And what might that be?” Logan asked, putting his book down to look up at him from his seat. 

“A haunted theatre!” Roman said, giddily. 

Logan gave him a look. “Roman, ghosts are not real.” 

“Yeah, well neither are we!” Roman countered. 

Logan just rolled his eyes as Patton jumped back in. “…Why are going to go to a haunted theater?” 

“It’s one of the oldest original theaters left around here, and it’s all boarded up. I guess people want to restore it, but whatever spooky thing that’s going on in there keeps scaring them away. And I guess they don’t know how to fix it properly, and keep all the history. So it’s not a huge priority.” He explained.

“And why does this mean we need to see it?” Logan asked.

“Oh come on, you two! It’ll be like old times! Don’t you want to see something out of our past? It could be like the theater where you and I met, Pat! Or when you two took me to see our first play all together! The memories!” Roman said, his hands moving dramatically along with his words. 

Logan just blinked, letting out a slightly dramatic sigh. “….This is also about that new show, isn’t it?”

“Which one?” Patton asked.

Roman and Logan spoke up in unison, Roman’s voice excited while Logan’s just seemed tired. 

“The Phantom of the Opera!” 

“The Phantom of the Opera.”

“…You want to meet the real phantom?” Patton asked, tilting his head to the side. 

“I believe he wants to be the phantom.” Logan shook his head. 

Roman huffed, crossing his arms. “I’m just saying…” 

“Roman, we can go see the theater tonight.” Logan said simply, picking his book back up and going back to reading.

The youngest of them let out an excited little noise, leaning in and giving Logan a kiss on the cheek before grabbing Patton’s hands and pulling him off to his sewing room, he needed someone to help him pick out an outfit.

Logan was able to read for the entire day, Patton and Roman returning to him once the sun had finally fully set. When he looked up, he couldn’t even find it in himself to be surprised by the extravagant outfit that Roman had selected, but this was the theater.. And no one would be seeing them anyway. 

“Are you prepared to go? You’ll have to lead us there, since we do not know where it is.” Logan asked, standing and moving to put his book back upon the shelf. 

“Yes! I found the perfect theatre ensemble, with help of the gorgeous Patton, of course. What would I do without such an amazing aide by my side?” Roman smiled, taking his hand once again and kissing his knuckles - successfully pulling a giggle from his sweet soulmate. 

Logan couldn’t help but smile, moving back to join them. “Shall we be off then?” 

“I’m ready!” Patton agreed, them both looking to Roman who nodded and then turned, speeding off with them both at his heels.

Even though Roman was a touch slower than Patton was, it wasn’t long at all before they were slipping in through a boarded up back door.

They found themselves in a dark back stage area, a few old footprints disturbing the thick layer of dust on the floor. They continued along, looking around at the signs of aging. Exposed beams, peeling paint, splintering wood.. There was scattered debris and signs that people had apparently been in here for extended periods of time, even if that was clearly a rather long time ago. 

There was also an eerie silence, one they hardly noticed until Patton broke it with his soft voice before it went back to silent once more.

“…It’s pretty spooky in here, huh?” 

Logan simply took his hand, the three of them continuing on, making their way to the stage. The curtain was half fallen, pooling on the floor… But that didn’t detract too much from the sight once the found themselves center stage.

“…Wow.” Roman said quietly, looking out at the abandoned seats. The balcony was mostly intact, and it was clear that there was still beautiful artwork decorating the walls. The gilded details of some of the molding were hidden beneath that dust, but it was clear to the three of them what laid beneath.

They stood quietly for only a beat longer before Logan took Patton off to the side of the stage, looking over to Roman. He watched them, unsure what they were doing. 

“…Go on, Roman. I know you want to. The stage is your’s.” Logan said with a soft smile, watching Roman’s face light up with recognition. 

He nodded, turning to face the empty seats, closing his eyes and pretending that that wasn’t the case. He imagined the lights, the crowd, the grand decorum… And then he opened his mouth and began to sing.

_“Sing once again with me, our strange duet_   
_My power over you grows stronger yet_   
_And though you turn from me to glance behind_   
_The Phantom of the Opera is there_   
_Inside your mind”_

Roman was beaming, his arms held aloft as though he were in the middle of performing. His voice echoed around the room, them listening as it slowly stopped, fading back to the silence of before.

And that was when they heard it. A slow, loud clap seemingly from no where.

Clap. 

Clap. 

Clap. 

“Encore.” Came a deep voice, causing all them to snap their gazes up into the rafters, searching for the source of the voice… But they didn’t see anyone at all.


	11. Virgil - The Moon

The three standing on the stage looked up toward the pitch black ceiling, red eyes searching the darkness for the source of the voice they’d just heard. Roman was still standing center stage, while Patton and Logan were further behind him, closer to the curtain. ….Especially Patton who had ducked behind Logan when there was no immediate explanation for the sound. 

“_OH MY GOD ITS THE PHANTOM!_” Patton whisper yelled, holding tight to his soulmate. 

“…Patton, I’ve told you. Ghosts are not real, I’m sure there is a logical explanation for th-” Logan began, but the deep voice cut him off. 

“Oh no, no… I definitely wouldn’t say that..” There was amusement in the tone, and before any of them could react, something appeared in the darkness, apparently having jumped from where it had been hidden in the rafters. It landed hard, just in front of Roman. “…Sometimes the truth is far stranger than fiction.” 

Their eyes all widened, gazes starting at the floor and working their up. It was clear that a decent percent of that loud noise was due to the heavy black boots they were all suddenly staring at. Trailing upward, they found tight pants made predominantly from patches of different fabrics, lots of plaids, purples, band logos, safety pins… It was clearly not important at the moment, but a distant thought passed through the back of Logan and Patton’s minds - one that was beyond sure that Roman was not going to happy with the state of those pants. Atop them was a black hoodie beneath a studded leather jacket, he had the hood up and his hands stuffed into the pockets.

Then they found his face. He was smirking, looking over them as though he expected them to flee from the sight of him. Which Patton wouldn’t have been opposed to, if he was being honest. But that was when Roman caught sight of something, seeing as he was standing the closest. A better look a that smirking smile… And the sight of a fang amongst those teeth. 

He immediately relaxed. “…Oh. You’re a vampire.” Roman said calmly.

There was barely time for the newcomer to arch a surprised eyebrow, when they all heard Patton’s excited voice from behind them. “Really?! He is?!” 

Before he could react, Patton had sprinted across the space and threw his arms around the man, hugging him with a vampire’s amount of strength and momentum. It was clear he had not expected the excited man to be so strong, as the two of them quickly went tumbling to the ground. 

Patton landed with his knees on either side of the man’s hips, hands on his shoulders, looking down at him with a huge - and obviously fang filled, smile. Recognition flashed over his features, him suddenly realizing what was happening. 

“…Oh my god. It’s him. It’s _him_!” Roman suddenly said, them all turning to see Roman looking down at his wrist, the hands of his clock having finally stopped ticking. 

Patton gasped, rocking back to sit on the new man’s thighs as he pulled up his sleeve to reveal his hourglass, the sand all gathered in the bottom. 

It was clear that the pinned vampire had a lot to say about the aforementioned pinning, but the sight of an actual hourglass printed on the pinner’s forearm seemed to have distracted him. “Holy.. Is that an _hourglass_? …How old are you?” He tone rich with disbelief. 

The cardigan clad vampire simply tilted his head to the side adorably. “28?” 

A slightly exasperated sigh came from both the man on his back and from Logan. It clear they were on the same page with that one. 

Roman stepped closer, his old style clock face still visible. “Pretty sure he means your total age, Pat.” 

“Ohhh… I’m.. uh…” 

“539.” Logan answered calmly, also stepping forward. 

Roman raised an eyebrow. “…What about me?” 

“Your turning was 97 years ago, so it would depend on your human age at the time. I was able to calculate Patton’s when he revealed just now he was 28 at the time of his.” He answered simply.

“You just did that math in your head? Right now? …And how long have you two been together and ages never came up? How does that even make any sense?” Roman gestured a bit dramatically. 

“We’ve been together for five hundr-”

“…Do I need to be laying down for the whole of this conversation or…” Their newest man piped up, still pinned to the floor beneath Patton.

“Oh! Sorry!” Patton scrambled off of him, offering him a hand to help him. He seemed hesitant, but did take the outstretched hand and stood, dusting himself off. 

“Thank you.” He nodded, looking at Patton’s timer once again, and stealing a glance at Roman’s. “…I’ve never seen anything like these before. I didn’t realize they’d be so different if you went back far enough in time.” 

With that both Roman and Patton turned to look at Logan, causing the new man to follow suit with curiosity. Logan pushed up his own sleeve, revealing his candle had finally melted down, the flame fully out. Before there was time for further questions, he held out his hand to their new soulmate. 

“I’m Logan. And these are Patton and Roman.” He nodded to each of them, them both reacting to their names. 

“…Virgil.” He took Logan’s hand and shook it. Still obviously surprised by the development, and seemingly unsure what to say. 

Luckily, as Virgil was going to learn very well very soon, he had two soulmates who were always ready to take over talking. 

“Can we see your timer? Did you know there were going to be three of us? What’s your clock like?” Patton was quickly filling the air with questions.

Virgil answered only by pushing up his sleeve, revealing three black bars across his wrist that clearly used to have numbers counting down, but now all read 00:000:00:00 instead.

“…Whoa.” Was all Patton and Roman managed, looking down at Virgil’s arm. They both looked up after a moment to see his face, studying him softly. Apparently so softly that Virgil clearly was already experiencing some level of embarrassment at how they were looking at him. 

Roman was more than happy to see that reaction, especially when he hadn’t even gotten a chance to bring out his better material, but once again Patton broke the silence before anyone else had a chance.

“…So why are you in here pretending to be a ghost?” He asked, curiously. 

“Well… I didn’t want to raise any suspicion by being in a regular place. I don’t want people to notice that I’m not aging. So, when I heard about this abandoned theater, I sort’ve just moved myself in. …Scaring off people who wander in has just been a source of entertainment.” He shrugged. 

“Wait, you live in here?” Roman asked, surprised. 

“Uh, yeah? I usually just hang out up there in the rafters.” Virgil answered, gesturing up to where he’d been when they arrived. 

Both of the more excitable vampires looked crestfallen at that information, turning to Logan with pleading expressions. The oldest vampire simply nodded, a very soft smile appearing on his lips. “…Virgil, why don’t you come along with us? We will show you where we live. And where you’d be welcome to stay, if you like.” 

Virgil looked across all three of them, seeming a bit surprised for a moment before he matched Logan’s soft smile and nodded in response. 


	12. New Normal

The four of them sped off into the night, heading into the forest and weaving through the trees to make it to their home. Virgil had grabbed a bag with his few belongings, it quite clear that the young vampire didn’t have much in the way of possessions. Logan got the impression that this didn’t bother him, however. It definitely seemed like, at least up until this point, living and traveling light was how he preferred it.

They were home in no time flat, quickly arriving in their foyer and pausing there. They had all turned to see Virgil’s reaction, wondering what he would think of their castle home. The young vampire was looking around, an expression of surprise on his face. 

But once he caught them watching him he quickly set a soft smirk on his face. “...An actual castle? Don’t tell me that you guys are the inspiration for Count Dracula.” 

“Who’s Count Dracula?” Roman asked, tilting his head to the side.

“A fictional vampire from a novel. It was published only a few years after you turned, actually. I have an original copy.” Logan explained. 

“There’s a vampire book and you didn’t tell us? I want to read it!” Patton said excitedly. 

“...Maybe it’s best if you didn’t.” Virgil shook his head, him and Logan sharing a glance. 

“But why n-” Patton began, but was quickly distracted by Virgil. 

“So, about that tour?” He interrupted, looking around once again.

“Oh! Right!” He nodded excitedly, taking Virgil’s hand and starting to lead him off with Roman along side them. 

Logan let out a small relieved sigh, setting off to join them as well. 

It didn’t take very long to show Virgil their home, there was the master bedroom which was seldom used - unsurprisingly, Patton’s ever changing craft and hobby room, Roman’s sewing room, the grand library, and of course several that were completely unused. Even with a few extended stops in the craft and sewing rooms - Them encouraging Patton to show off his work and Roman insisting he get a few quick measurements, the tour didn’t take long. 

They found themselves in the library, watching as Virgil took in Logan’s vast book collection. Roman and Patton had read some of Logan’s novels over the years, Roman preferring the romantic works while Patton had a softness for fiction, but neither of them would ever claim that reading was how they really preferred to spend their time. They appreciated Logan’s grand collection, but it was clear that Virgil was far more impressed by what he was looked at. 

Logan hadn’t expected it, but he definitely felt extra fondness in his chest as he watched his young soulmate take in the mighty array of tomes before him. They ended up meeting eyes once Virgil had swept over the room, sharing a small smile between them. It was becoming rather clear that they would have a few more things in common than anyone would have guessed simply by looking at them. 

And with that, they began to settle into their new normal. Whenever their group had added another, they had to adjust a bit. Now that they had four, it would’ve seemed like it would more complex than it had been in the past. But it was actually more perfect now than it had ever been. Especially now that if two went off, no one had to be alone. 

Patton and Virgil fell quickly into a rhythm, doing crafts and projects together. Virgil would bring music or updated tools and techniques, while Patton happily taught Virgil the way he knew to do things. They made gifts for their soulmates, art and decor for their home, and even cooked and baked on occasion. They couldn’t eat anything they made, of course, but... They never minded the house smelling nice, and Patton was always more than happy to take meals to those who needed them.

At first it actually seemed like Roman and Virgil might not get along so well, with their strong opinions and intense personalities, but they quickly fell into a relationship that felt as though they’d been best friends for years who’d one day found themselves deeply in love. For every adorable date they’d go on, there would be a playfully over dramatic argument about something frivolous. A moonlit dance one night, extended banter the next. Every sweet little gift leading to trading not only kisses, but pranks as well.

One particular prank had startled Patton and Logan, with Virgil zipping out of Roman’s sewing room and slamming the door behind him. When the two glasses clad men raised concerned eyebrows, all the punk vampire said was “Whatever you do, don’t go in there!” Before he running off to hide.

Unfortunately for Roman, the three of them had learned that Virgil’s most impressive vampire skill was blending into the shadows, so when he burst out of his room angrily looking for him, he was nowhere to be found. 

The story had went that Virgil had found a very large plastic egg, filled it with his soulmate’s supply of clothing buttons, and then threw it at Roman's feet where it broke open and spilled its contents everywhere. This, of course, meant that Roman had spent the next hour of his eternal life compulsively counting the infernal things. It was this explanation that convinced the other two to assist Roman in finding Virgil, but it was clear that if he didn't want to be found, he would not be.

Roman eventually just called out into the darkness of the castle to draw him out, knowing his soulmate could hear him, but Virgil only leapt from the darkness when Roman promised he wouldn’t try anything in retaliation. The younger vampire still made sure he wouldn’t go back on his word by immediately silencing both his complaints and his thoughts with a deep kiss, but the fact that Virgil had definitely won this round would certainly reoccur to the Victorian vampire at a later time.

With all the excitement that surrounded Patton and Roman, Logan distantly wondered if he would be somewhat forgotten and left to his quiet activities. But those thoughts were quickly silenced the first time he felt Virgil join him, sitting beside him and softly leaning into his side. The elder glanced over to see that he had chosen a book from the shelf and had opened it to the first page to begin reading, the two of them immediately easing into a comfortable loving silence.

His next wonder was if this would be a rare occurrence, but it was clear that this was just as untrue as his first. Virgil would often join him, either to read or to do his own other quiet activities while near to him. Sometimes they’d just share a couch, sometimes one would have his head in the other’s lap, sometimes something in between. Other times, even their two soulmates would join them as well. It wasn’t as common to find them actually reading, but it was clear that simply being all together was a priority to all of them.

Logan would just smile, looking up from his book to find the three of them all gathered near him. Roman generally having brought in one of his sewing projects, Patton working on his current hobby - calligraphy or embroidery or water color, and Virgil reading or maybe doodling in a sketchbook.

It wasn’t until he had finally found all three of them that he realized what he had been missing all this time. They each were so different, but they fit together so perfectly.. They filled his entire world in ways only they could. No. They were so much more than just the world.

Patton was his sun, the beacon of light in the sky, the one who made him feel warm no matter what the situation. Roman was the stars that sparkled in the dark dark night, gorgeous and resilient, showing that brightness was not lost even when darkness surrounded it. But Virgil, Virgil was his moon. He brought with him the peace and tranquility of the night. He glowed with his own special light that, while not as immense as the sun, was no less brilliant.

And now that he had all of them, everything was perfect. His universe was complete.


	13. The Sky

The four of them fell into such a comfortable rhythm, time passing by without them paying too much attention to it. Roman certainly was glad when those monstrosities that Virgil called pants had gone out of style. But beyond evolutions in fashion, with all of their clothing modernizing somewhat, time just passed with their focus remaining predominantly on enjoying each other. 

Barring Patton’s insistence on celebrating birthdays and their chosen anniversary, it was Logan that had the best awareness of time. This was why, when a particular date rolled around, it was only the eldest vampire that had a persistent thought at the back of his mind that would not fade.

It seemed like any other night for the four of them. They’d had Virgil for a few decades now, and besides the fact that they all obviously loved him with all they had, he’d proved he came in very handy when it came to attempting to keep them modern and current. The youngest of them picked up technology and slang much more naturally than the rest of them did, and it had to have been the love he had for them that kept him even trying with them anymore - as ‘attempting’ was clearly the key word.

Logan and Patton were so bad at integrating modern language into their vernacular that by the time they’d pick up a new slang term, it was no longer current. Roman was a bit better than either of the older vampires, but he still had his limits on ability. 

Case and point, that night. Logan was sitting on the couch, barely paying attention to what he was trying to read due to not only what was going on in the room, but also that unceasing thought he couldn’t shake. Patton was seated beside him, watching Roman and Virgil, chiming in as their unofficial mediator as they bickered. The youngest two were seated on the floor at the coffee table, Virgil’s laptop in front of them. It was probably the 914th time that Virgil tried to get Roman to understand the internet, and it was the 914th time it was clearly not sticking. 

“Roman, you just look here. Right here, the orders come through and they tell you what they are asking for.” He tried again. 

“But when I open it it doesn’t show that! How did you get there?” He fired back, gesturing at the screen with disdain. 

Virgil sighed again, rubbing his temple. “You just click on the orange E. I bookmarked it. You open it, click on that. It takes you to the page. Then you click here and y-”

“How do I click again?” 

“I _JUST _told you.” 

“Kiddos..” 

Logan silently marked his page and sat his book down before standing and silently making his way from the room, leaving them to their activity. He decided that tonight he’d make his way up onto the roof. The eldest vampire slid open the window in their bedroom, slipping out onto the sill and climbing up to the roof with ease. 

Despite the fact that during his human life gazing up at the stars from his roof had been his favorite activity, it wasn’t something he hadn’t felt comfortable doing since the fateful night of his incident. The incident that had occurred exactly 800 years ago, that very night. 

It was illogical that he had been hesitant to do so for so long, it wasn’t as though he was going to be attacked again, and even if something did happen he was more than strong enough to hold his own. ...Despite that being true, the fact that his three soulmates were so close by and that each of them were stronger than him did give him another layer of comfort.

He took a deep breath, letting his legs out straight in front of him as he leaned back onto his hands so he could look up at the sky. ...He’d missed this. Logan sat in solitude for a bit, trying with the best of his ability to allow his thoughts to clear. Unfortunately for moments like this, a mind like his was not easily quieted.

It had been a predominantly wonderful eight centuries. The first quarter or so wasn’t the most optimal, but once Patton had entered the picture... Patton, his sun in the sky. There were moments he still felt guilty. He knew he could never admit to it aloud, but there was something about the selfishness of spreading this infection. This curse. If he’d just held firm, been adamant... Patton could have lived a full, human life. He could have been happy with just.. 

Logan felt someone join him, leaning against him. He glanced over to see Patton, snuggling into his side and getting comfortable. They met eyes for a moment, his soulmate giving him a slightly sheepish grin. 

“...They really aren’t listening to me, anyway. I figured I’d let them just do whatever they needed to.” He explained, letting his head fall onto Logan’s shoulder. 

“That is probably for the best.” Logan nodded, the two of them going back to silently looking skyward. 

The eldest couldn’t have too many regrets. He’d never hesitate to admit how much he cherished having Patton by his side. Maybe turning him hadn’t been the most ethical, but no one would have blamed him for choosing love over loneliness. He could apologize, in theory, not that he honestly thought that would get him very far. If he was going to be guilty of something... Perhaps it wasn’t the issue of turning Patton, maybe it was greed. He didn’t just have Patton, he took Roman as well. 

Roman, his stars in the darkness. It took only a moment of even humoring that thought to bring back memories of the sickly young man they’d met... He’d never forget the life in his eyes, not unlike the twinkling of the stars, the spark that fought against the cards that life had dealt him with all he had. He never gave up, he never second guessed himself. ...That was something he might be able to avoid admitting aloud, but internally, he knew that was something in his second soulmate that he truly admired. 

It wasn’t long until both Patton and Logan turned their heads toward the side of the roof, hearing slightly heavier steps and annoyed grumbling. They were met with the sight of Roman, making his way over to join them. He plopped himself down right between Logan’s legs, leaning back into his chest and pouting a bit. 

The only explanation they were given was a grumble of “..._technology is a curse_.” They both just gave soft hums in acknowledgement before silence fell over them again. 

The passion and the verve that burned within Roman... The love and the sweetness of Patton. Things he had had centuries to enjoy. They were both so different from him in so many ways, but he loved them. He wondered if he didn’t give Virgil the same attention and the same care for his hobbies as he tried to more consciously with the other two. He’d had so long to grow accustomed to them in his life.. Virgil was still so new to their group, comparatively. 

When it came to Virgil... He was the mysterious moon in the night. Quiet but bright, more subtle but completely beautiful. Logan realized, maybe he didn’t need to worry so much about him. The two of them had fallen into a rhythm so quickly and easily, always having each other when they needed to have some more introverted time. Quietly able to enjoy one another, able to be alone together. They both loved and cherished their more extroverted soulmates, but having each other when they needed a quiet moment was something they treasured.

Virgil joined them on the roof not long after, them not noticing him until he was sitting himself down on Logan’s other side and leaning into him as well. He gave a short explanation, having finished up setting up the online shop for Roman and deciding he would just run the web parts of it for him to save them all the headache. The costumer reached back and took Virgil’s hand, giving him a silent thank you as they settled quietly yet another time. 

The four of them sat, silently enjoying each other and the sky above them. The eldest of them kept his gaze skyward, enjoying the feeling of the three of them against him. It was because of this that he didn’t notice the three of them stealing glances at him on occasion.

As much as Logan felt blessed that he had found his sparkling sun, radiant stars, and brilliant moon - he had no idea that in him, they had found their sky. The only thing that could bring and hold them all together. Something they could count on no matter what else may have been occurring. 

So there they sat, all together, looking up. Knowing that no matter what the future held, they’d have each other no matter what.


End file.
